Norwich: The Gateway to East Anglia (Norwich in General)

Member Name: ian22

Product:	Norwich in General
Date:	01/04/03 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting history

Disadvantages: The local accent

INTRODUCTION

Norwich is one of the biggest cities in East Anglia. Three hundred years ago, it was the largest provincial city in the country, and some still see it as the capital of East Anglia. It is situated in Norfolk, a county renowned for its scenic broads and unspoilt coastline.

The city itself is served by several major roads, including the M11, A14, A12 and A140. The main city railway station is located to the south and is about 10 minutes walk from the main shopping area. Anglia Railways run services every 30 minutes from Norwich to London Liverpool Street, and Central Trains run services to Peterborough and the North (Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester). Norwich also has its own airport, with flights to over 300 destinations worldwide, including Amsterdam and Paris.


HISTORY OF NORWICH

Norwich has such a long history that it is impossible to do it justice in a few lines. I shall therefore concentrate on the main events which have led up to the current day.

The city was first founded by the Anglo-Saxons. It was a vibrant place in the Norman period and soon became an important centre for trading. The city's Norman castle was built in 1067, and its magnificient cathedral almost 30 years later in 1096.

Norwich was made a city in 1194 by Richard I. It remained an important trading city up until the 14th century, with 130 different crafts and trades. Then came the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. This caused vast amounts of damage to the city as fires swept through the Tudor timbered and thatched houses. There was subsequently a major decline in the city's industry. Refugees from the Netherlands were brought over to teach local weavers how to produce different types of cloth. Their presence meant that by the 16th century Norwich was beginning to prosper once again, and by the 17th century, Norwich cloth was transported worldwide.

Since this time, the city has gone from strength to stren
gth. Breweries and maltings sprung up in the 18th century, and large companies like Norwich Union were set up.

FACILITIES

Norwich is home to an excellent range of shops. Much of the shopping area is completely pedestrianised, but St. Stephens is more like a typical high street, with names such as BHS and Marks & Spensers. The Castle Mall shopping centre is fairly new. It boasts everything from Virgin and Argos, to Boots and smaller boutiques. In recent years, Norwich has also seen the redevelopment of the Riverside area. This is now home to a whole host of retailers, including Morrisons, BigW, Argos and Boots, to name but a few. There are also varous nightclubs, a UCI cinema and new riverside apartments.

As well as new shopping areas, Norwich has recently acquired a Millenium library, called "The Forum". It replaces the old library which was destroyed by fire in 1994. The building itself is very contemporary, and homes not only the library, but also BBC local Radio and television. Its prominent position over the main city centre means that it is always a popular sight for visitors.

Norwich is also home to the University of East Anglia (UEA). There is an excellent sports park nearby which opened several years ago, housing an olympic sized swimming pool, athletics track and climbing wall amongst other things. Close by is the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. This is full of interesting works, with recent exhibitions on Art Nouveau and Brazilian art.

OVERALL

To conclude, I would say that Norwich is a charming city with something for everyone. It has built upon its vibrant past and continues to do so, both economically and socially. It is certainly a city with a very bright future.

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